The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is one of the foremost yogic texts currently studied. Comprised of 196 pithy aphorisms, commentators both ancient and present have interpreted these lines of text that serve as the bedrock of the modern-day yoga practice and study.

This series will consist of lecture, group discussion and some postural practice to prime for better absorption of content. Students will also be offered optional homework to complete in between meetings in order to help them develop a deeper relationship to the content.

In this series you will:

• gain an understanding of the underlying concepts and themes of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and their applicability to modern life

• discuss assigned readings from the Yoga Sutras as a community, with the opportunity to explore the richness of the material with like-minded others

• discover how this text can help you live your yoga off the mat

• deepen your understanding of and connection to the philosophy of yoga

• learn practical applications of off-the-mat yoga skills

Concepts covered in this series will include:

• the purpose of yoga, as asserted by the Yoga Sutras

• the 8 limbs of yoga

• the moral precepts of yoga, known as the yamas and niyamas

• the 5 obstacles to and causes of suffering (known as kleshas), as well as their antidotes

• the tripod of kriya yoga

• the 5 kinds of perception

About Laura Ahrens:

Laura Ahrens is a yoga teacher and teacher of teachers, owner of The New School of Yogic Arts, and provider of quality yoga education that emphasizes the intersection of tradition and innovation. Her biggest commitment is to living the practice of yoga, and teaching others to do the same.

When you learn from Laura, expect a union of traditional yogic philosophy and modern perspectives on practice. She teaches strong, slow but flowing hatha vinyasa articulated through metaphor and imagery, and you'll feel the philosophical even in the physical.

She has well over 800 hours of formal training and continues to study with her teachers. She’s currently in Ayurveda school with Dr. Claudia Welch and Dr. Robert Svoboda. She leads classes, trainings, and several international and domestic retreats per year. For more about Laura, visit her website, www.ahrens.yoga. All workshops are non-refundable.